Hidden Wish Inside
by Masika
Summary: Okie dokie, here goes the story of Kuja and Clover! Mwahahaha...I made a sappy Kuja story. ^.~ Neway, rated PG-13 for SC, V, L, and I think that's it. Enjoy!
1. One

Chapter One  
First Awakening  
  
Kuja groaned as he was woke. There was a pain in his ribs, as well as his throat. The pain in his ribs was sharper and stronger, so he decided to attend to that first. He opened his eyes slowly, discovering Zidane next to him at the center of the Iifa tree.   
  
"What the...? Why do my ribs hurt? And why am I alive?" Kuja asked, now fully awake.  
  
Zidane laughed slightly. "Your ribs hurt because I kicked them."  
  
Kuja's eyes narrowed.   
  
"Hey, hey! Cut me some slack. It felt damn good to hit you after what you did."  
  
Kuja sighed. "I suppose it did. Now, answer my second question: why am I even alive? I thought that Garland had a limit put on my life."  
  
Zidane shrugged. "I haven't got a clue."  
  
"My throat hurts, too... It's a little hard to breathe."  
  
"Maybe that's it, then. Your body is fighting you, but your will is stronger?"  
  
"Perhaps," Kuja replied. "But I haven't exactly demonstrated perfect willpower."  
  
"Eh. What's done is done. Deal with it." Zidane stood up and helped Kuja to his feet. "And now, to the current dilemma of --"  
  
"How do we get out?" Kuja finished.   
  
"Yup. When in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout."  
  
Kuja laughed sardonically. "I don't think that will help us. How about, 'After a thousand years / And beyond a million tears / Follow the path before you'?" Kuja pointed to a path of roots leading down from their small shelf. He struggled to hide his amusement.   
  
"Oh, yeah. That. I knew it was there." Zidane shook his head in an embarrassed manner and followed Kuja out of the Iifa tree.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?!" Garnet roared. "Are you...are you defending him, Zidane?!"  
  
Zidane shrugged. "Not at all. I just brought him back. He's alive, so I think I can live with myself now."  
  
Kuja was looking at Zidane oddly.   
  
"What?!" Zidane demanded.  
  
Kuja responded with an infuriatingly smug smirk. Then he shrugged. "Do what you want with me. I'll get out of whatever you throw at me, though."  
  
Zidane pondered this, knowing that he had a point. He said so to Garnet.   
  
"I don't care if he's got a point! We'll find something that the little..." Suddenly Garnet's eyes lit up, and she grinned wickedly. "I've got it! It can't fail!"  
  
Kuja snorted.   
  
"You have great confidence, for someone who's butt I just kicked," Zidane said flatly.   
  
"Your mind doesn't work in enough expanse," Kuja replied typically.   
  
"What the hell does that mean?!" Zidane demanded.  
  
Kuja smirked again.   
  
"Oh, stop it! Kuja, you have free run of the palace, until I figure out how to pull this off. I assume you won't leave. You're curious to see what can actually hold you."  
  
"Too true. Alright, I'll wait. But please, make it something entertaining."  
  
"Argh! Get him out!" Garnet cried.   
  
  
  
  
  
Kuja closed the door gently behind him. The guards were all too willing not to touch him. He started to make his way to the library.   
  
As he passed a hallway, something rammed into him hard enough to make him smack a wall.   
  
"What on earth...?" He looked down at the black blob near his feet. It groaned.  
  
"Oog..."  
  
That 'black blob' turned out to be a woman in a black robe. She gasped as she saw him, and then hung her head. Her black hair flowed beautifully around her slightly tanned cheeks. She looked at him.  
  
"Who are you?" Kuja demanded in a not-so-demanding tone.   
  
The girl shrugged. She studied him, and then her eyes widened.   
  
Kuja shrugged this time. "I guess you know who I am."  
  
She nodded and stood up. Kuja stood up as well.  
  
Kuja was a little bit disturbed at her silence. Girls that he had seen never stopped talking and   
gossiping, giggling and flirting. Somehow, Kuja couldn't picture this girl doing any of those things.   
  
"Where are you headed, and in such a hurry?"  
  
She pointed to the library and then shrugged. Her gray eyes revealed nothing to him.  
  
"That's where I'm headed."  
  
The girl nodded, and then began to walk (very quickly) in the direction of the library. Kuja followed. Once inside, she headed straight for the magic books. Having nothing else to do, he followed.   
  
"This section is restricted, you know."  
  
The girl turned to face him, a determined look on her face. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out. She tried again, with the same results. Looking around, she discovered they weren't alone. Stamping her foot, she whirled and walked even faster to the section. She entered a private studying room.  
  
Kuja closed the door behind him, and she whirled to face him. "My name is Esuna."  
  
Kuja blinked in surprise. "So you can talk."  
  
Esuna nodded. "I use my voice as a weapon for combat, so a priest put an enchantment on me: I can't use my voice when other people are around. Only one, and he must be male." She shrugged.   
  
Kuja's eyes widened. "So that leaves you without your magic."  
  
She nodded sadly. "I keep checking here to see if I can find a way to break the spell. But, I can't find anything." She blinked suddenly. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Talking more to a sarcastic, hopeless narcissist than I ever have to another human being, even with my voice."  
  
Kuja couldn't help but smile. "I like you," he said simply. "Straightforward. Speaking you mind."  
  
"Speaking the truth as well as my mind."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
Esuna laughed, the most bell like laugh Kuja had ever heard. He liked the sound of it. "You know, if you hadn't been so sure of yourself and told Lady Hilda everything, the Crystal would be destroyed."  
  
Kuja's jaw dropped, but he quickly recovered. "How do you know about the Crystal?" he asked sharply.  
  
She smirked. "How do you know that I know?"  
  
"What? Because you just said you knew about it."  
  
"No I didn't. I said that it would be destroyed. That doesn't mean I know about it. It only implies that I know it exists."  
  
Kuja was losing his temper. "Don't play mind games with me!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I can be very dangerous when I'm mad."  
  
Esuna actually laughed, with made Kuja's temper rise further.   
  
"You won't hurt me."  
  
"How do you know I won't?."  
  
Esuna sighed. "You may have a temper, but you know enough now not to let the tempest rise and take the better of you."  
  
"I guess so."  
  
She nodded. Some strange emotion that Kuja couldn't identify flashed in her eyes. He guessed it was wistfulness.   
  
"Your hiding something, Esuna."  
  
"Yes, I am. I guess you'll know soon enough. But my voice wasn't the only thing the priest got rid of."  
  
"What else...?" Kuja asked softly.   
  
".....It's nothing." She looked away, her gray eyes sad.   
  
"Esuna..."  
  
"You have a dragon, don't you? A silver one?" she asked suddenly.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"May I see him?"  
  
"I suppose. Any last words, before we go in the open again?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Don't depend on magic for everything."  
  
With that, Esuna left the room, leaving Kuja in bewilderment. He followed.  
  
  
  
  
Esuna had a smirk on her face as she walked up to Kuja's silver dragon. Eiko had seen them passing, and decided to follow. Kuja had noticed her, and had looked her straight in the eye. It greatly unsettled the six year old.  
  
Stroking the dragons muzzle, Esuna was clearly not afraid of it.   
  
"You've got a dragon's touch," the silver dragon spoke softly.   
  
Kuja almost fell over. "Since when can you talk?!" he demanded, striding up to the dragon.  
  
"Since forever. You know, if she were a dragon...." then he addressed Esuna. "My name is Flare. Fitting, I suppose. It is Kuja's favorite spell."  
  
Esuna nodded. She turned to Kuja and looked him over. Then she grinned.  
  
"What?!" he demanded.   
  
Flare gave a dragonish grin. "She thinks the thong doesn't suit you."  
  
Esuna gasped and glared at Flare. Kuja blushed, and Flare fell over in dragon laughter.   
  
"You can read her mind?!"  
  
Meekly, Esuna nodded, while Flare's grin widened. Then he launched back on his haunches.   
  
"I am too suitable for Kuja!"  
  
Esuna shook her head.  
  
"Liar! I behave, and I'm a good dragon --"  
  
And a lunatic, Esuna thought.   
  
Kuja made a humph sound. "Leave me out all you want, I don't mind."  
  
Flare looked at Kuja. "Sorry. She called me a lunatic."  
  
Esuna shrugged. She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. Kuja noticed with delight how her black hair blazed a raging purple in the sunlight. She's beautiful.   
  
Zidane walked up. "Garnet's decided what she's going to do with you."  
  
Esuna stamped her foot.   
  
Zidane's eyes widened. "Hey!" he said. "What's your name?"   
  
Esuna rolled her eyes, and Zidane looked a bit awkward.   
  
"She won't speak to you," Kuja said smugly.   
  
"You won't?"  
  
Esuna shook her head, with the same smirk Kuja was wearing.   
  
Kuja gasped suddenly, struggling for air. His hand went to his throat, and Esuna was beside him instantly. She pulled his hand was from his neck. Kuja looked a little horrified as she brought her face closer to his. She began to mouth arcane words, her face inches away. In front of his chest, her hands worked furiously, drawing symbols Kuja didn't recognize. Then she stopped.  
  
Kuja's pain was gone, and he could breathe again.   
  
"What on earth did you just do?!"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
Zidane watched the entire scene, dumbstruck. "I've never seen magic like that. Even if I could use it, I wouldn't get that close to him. He's dangerous."  
  
Esuna smiled and shook her head.   
  
"He's not as bad as you make him out to be, Zidane," Flare commented.  
  
"Yeah right!" Eiko piped in, deciding not to spy anymore.   
  
Esuna looked at her with a puzzled look. She walked slowly up to the girl that she didn't know, and touched her horn gently. She looked at Kuja  
  
.:She's a summoner, right?:. she thought to Kuja  
  
Kuja jumped and fell over.   
  
"Jeez, what's your problem?" Zidane demanded.  
  
Kuja glared at Esuna. "Do you do that often?! I'm supposed to be graceful, Esuna! Not falling flat on my face because of mind speech...why didn't you tell me you could do that, anyway?!"  
  
"She's doesn't have to tell you anything, you big lummox," Flare replied.  
  
.:Flare!:. Esuna thought sternly.  
  
"Sorry. I can't help but harp on him." He gave a dragon shrug. "It's in my nature."  
  
.:I know.:. Esuna grinned sheepishly and blushed.   
  
"What are you blushing for?" Eiko asked bluntly.  
  
Esuna blinked and looked at the girl. She grinned. .:I know I can tell you. Maybe it's just a girl thing. Just don't tell Thong Boy,:. she gestured to Kuja, .:or his sarcastic escort.:.  
  
Eiko laughed so hard she cried, and then fell over. "Thong Boy! I love it!"  
  
Esuna smacked her forehead and sat down, grumbling silently.   
  
"What the hell is going on?!" Zidane demanded, scratching his head. "I'm so confused."  
  
"Esuna can't talk when she's around other people," Flare said. "Except, of course, when she alone with a man." He looked slyly at Kuja. "Then she can...talk...all she wants."  
  
Esuna's eyes narrowed. .:Enough! Nothing sexual happened between us, you little --:.  
  
"Let's not go there," Zidane said. Esuna's temper had risen enough so that everyone could hear her mind-speech. "You're name's Esuna, right?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Never heard that name before. It's pretty."  
  
.:Thanks, but stop flirting. Garnet won't like it.:.  
  
Zidane blushed furiously.   
  
"Are you picking on Zidane?!" Eiko demanded.  
  
"Not at all, Eiko," Flare answered for Esuna. "She only told him to stop flirting."  
  
Kuja smirked.   
  
"Oh, come on!" Eiko cried, grabbing Zidane hand and dragging him out of the courtyard. "We'll talk girl talk later, k?"  
  
.:It's a date, little summoner.:. Esuna replied.   
  
"I need to go," Esuna said, able to speak again.   
  
"But...Flare is still here?" Kuja voice held question.  
  
"Yah, but dragons don't count. Whatever your sentence is, Kuja, I'll find a way to reverse it. You'll probably be able to pull it off yourself, but just in case you need a hand form the outside."   
  
She extended her hand to him to shake, but instead he raised it to his lips.  
  
Esuna blushed. He has warm lips, Esuna thought with delight, praying Flare wouldn't say anything. God must have been busy doing something else, however.  
  
"She says that you have --"  
  
"Don't you dare, you prissy little --" Esuna cried, her voice holding venom. She pointed a finger at him, and a single shot of purple light hit Flare.  
  
"Yipe!" Flare was not expecting that. "What the hell did you do that for?!"  
  
"You were going to tell him what I thought."  
  
"Yes, I was! You said he has warm lips." Flare grinned triumphantly, licking at a scratch the light had given him.  
  
Kuja smiled sheepishly and looked at Esuna. "Well, you do!" she said defensively.   
  
Maybe someday I'll find out what your feel like, Kuja thought to himself.  
  
Flare snorted. "Not likely."  
  
Esuna's bell-like laughter rang out. "You wanna bet, Flare?"  
  
"You both read my thoughts?!"  
  
"Uh huh. Well, Esuna did. I can't help but hear those things."  
  
"Flare, shoo!" Kuja commanded.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Need you ask?"  
  
"What's that supposed to -- Oh, man! Never mind! I don't want to know!" With that, Flare took off.  
  
"I promise," Esuna said, looking at Kuja. "To help you with your punishment. I was scared, when I first saw you. I might have a fair amount of power, but you are still so much stronger than me. But now I see that you're not at all the red mage I had pictured."  
  
He flashed her a sweet smile. "I'd like you to come to Desert Palace with me sometime. My library there is huge. I know a couple spells that would stop Flare from telling me what you think."  
Esuna laughed. "I'm glad. Silent Siege barely touches him."  
  
He nodded. "His strength is the same as mine."  
Esuna suddenly leaned in and kissed his cheek. "That is for luck. Hopefully, Garnet won't execute you."  
  
Kuja closed his eyes and smiled. "You have cool lips. They felt nice."  
  
She grinned. "Farewell, Kuja. Perhaps I will see you again. Or maybe I'm doomed to never get revenge on Flare."   
  
She brought out a mirror that she had had concealed. She pointed to it. "Tok Ahkim!"  
  
The mirror dropped from her grasp, and began to grow. A single raindrop fell from the sky, and his the glass. It rippled, and became water.  
  
"This is a portal to a lake nearby. You go through underwater, but it's close to shore. Speak the words I spoke. The portal will close behind you. Only use it if you need to, however."  
  
"I'll remember that. Thank you, Esuna."  
  
"Thank you, Kuja. For showing me that life will always prevail."  
  
Esuna jumped into the mirror, and it shrank, becoming the hand mirror again. Kuja's eyes widened at it's weight. It was made of solid white gold, and the glass wasn't glass, but crystal. If I see her again, I'll ask her how she got this, he thought. And how did I show her that life always prevails? I don't understand her. . .   
  
  
  
"Alright. Now. Kuja," Garnet began formally. "I am about to sentence you."  
  
Wow. She looks regal, Kuja thought, not at all paying attention to what the queen was saying. When he heard the word 'sentence', however, he began to listen.  
  
"For committing the crime of...Jeez. Uh...Uncle Cid?"  
  
"Yes, dear?" Cid asked from the corner of the room.  
  
"Do I really have to list all of the things he's done? I mean, there's so many..."  
  
Kuja smirked.  
  
"Well, I suppose not."  
  
"Good. Alright. We'll skip all that. Kuja?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Any last words?"  
  
Kuja shrugged.  
  
"Guess not," Zidane commented dryly.  
  
Kuja's smirk widened.   
  
"Um..." Eiko muttered uncertainly. She shuddered. "Garnet?"  
  
"Yes, Eiko?"  
  
"I think he had a point earlier. He wouldn't be so cocky if he couldn't get out of it."  
  
"You know, kid? Your smarter than you look."  
  
Zidane jumped. The remark had come from Kuja.  
  
"Will you just punish me already? I'm getting bored."  
  
"Alright, alright. Kuja. For...all of the crime that you committed, I banish you to the Desert Palace on the Other Continent."  
  
Kuja actually laughed. "Your beauty contrasts sharply to your brains."  
  
Garnet wore the same smirk that Kuja was wearing. "That's not the best part. To be placed on the desert above and around the palace, thanks to out friends at Mount Gulug, there will be a magic barrier. You will not be able to cast magic."  
  
Kuja blinked. He had not expected this.   
  
"That's right, bro. For once, Garnet thought of something you can't get out of."  
  
Kuja remembered Esuna, and her mirror. He wondered if they would be able to free him. He sorely hoped that the magic on the mirror would still work.  
  
"How long until I'm banished?"  
  
"About thirty seconds."  
  
"Lovely."  
  
Lovely? Why on earth did he say lovely? Garnet set the thought aside to ponder when she had nothing to do on a rainy day.  
  
  
  
The wind whipped Esuna's hair around her face. The propeller blades of the Selenity airship whirred strongly above her.   
  
"Miss! We are bound for the Other Continent! If you are coming, you must get on board now."  
  
Esuna nodded slowly to the crewman. She turned and took one last look at Alexandria, and then climbed the ladder onto the airship. She intended to keep her promise to Kuja. She had to be careful, however. Once Garnet found out, she would most definitely be looking for her.  
  
But that wouldn't stop Esuna in the least.   
  
  
  
Kuja sighed. It was good to be home, but the fact that he could not leave was no comfort.   
  
"Tok Ahkim!"  
  
The mirror would not work here either. Kuja's eyes were downcast.  
  
"Well, Flare? Are we stuck here?"  
  
"Of course not! Are you daft, man?! Esuna said she was coming. She has a dragon spirit inside of her, and a dragon cannot lie."  
  
"But her magic will be useless here, too!"  
  
"I know," Flare said sadly. "That is the part I'm worried about. But she's smart, Kuja. She'll figure out something."  
  
Kuja nodded slowly. "You're right."  
  
"Of course I am. She --"  
  
"Is here."  
  
Both man and dragon whirled. Esuna stood in the doorway to the central hall. Her laughter rang, echoing cheerfully across the walls.  
  
"Men are so silly. I promised to help, didn't I?"  
  
"Esuna..." Kuja mumbled, trying to recover. "Well, yes, you did. But your magic is cut off now, too."  
  
"No it isn't."  
  
"What do you mean?" Kuja asked.   
  
"Yeah, spill!" Flare cried.  
  
"I have the magic of Terra inside of me."  
  
"What?! You're Terran?!" Kuja cried. Once again, she had caught him off balance. "Where's your tail?!"  
  
Esuna grinned and shed the black robe she was wearing. Kuja's eyebrows raised at her outfit. She wore a strapless black shirt that barely covered her belly and dark hose with brown leather ankle boots. Her arms were clothed at the base of her shoulder to her elbow, and her shoulders were not covered. She wore leather wrist guards and had a white jacket tied around her waist.   
  
And to top it all off, a black tail swayed playfully in the background.   
  
"Why is it that I didn't know you were Terran?!" Flare demanded.  
  
"Don't get cocky, Flare. You don't know everything, and you don't know how to sense a Terran."  
  
"You said that you had the magic of Terra," Kuja intervened. "How so?"  
  
"Born of blue  
With a scarlet hue  
Granted from a planet  
The gift of magic  
Once called 'Messiah',  
one true enemy of Gaia."  
  
"That poem..." Flare murmured.  
  
"I've read it before. In a book of Terran history," Kuja commented.  
  
Esuna nodded. "That's right. I was created to be the enemy of Gaia. I was born from the light of Terra, along with your trance power, Kuja." She shrugged. "I guess you could say I was the third Angel of Death."  
  
Kuja whistled. "Wow."  
  
"Yeah. Garland knew I existed. He figured it out right before you kicked him off the platform." Esuna simply stated facts, with no accusing note in her tone. "That's why he helped Zidane in Memoria. Zidane was always Garland's favorite. But then again, Garland would have tried harder to get rid of me if you had let him live. Eventually, he would have found out I was a girl."  
  
"He had a grudge against women?" Flare asked skeptically.  
  
"Not until they did a man's job."  
  
"Oh brother." Kuja rolled his eyes.   
  
"Actually, yes," Esuna responded, "the reason he was like that was because of Zidane. There was only supposed to be one Angel of Death."  
  
"I know, but I failed, so he made Zidane."   
  
"You didn't fail!" Flare cried angrily.  
  
"That's right. In truth, you exceeded Garland's wildest dreams. You were too strong, so he couldn't control you. When he realized he couldn't, he became obsessed with making a new Angel. I was created with a mission that is impossible for me to complete, even if it was Terra's willpower to have this mission completed that gave me life."  
  
"What mission?" Kuja asked softly.  
  
Esuna laughed. "Eliminate the previous two Angels, then turn Gaia into a sort of Terra, using the Iifa tree."  
  
"Holy Mother of Bahamut," Flare swore. "And you're...uh...not gonna do it, right?"  
  
"Of course not, Flare. With Terra gone, I have nothing enforcing the mission. And, you didn't swear properly, Flare," Esuna said, grinning.   
  
"How would you know how dragons swear?!" Flare demanded indignantly.  
  
"You're supposed to say. . ." and Esuna went up and whispered in Flare's ear.   
  
Flare gasped. "Ew! Potty mouth!" he accused. "I've never heard anyone use language like that, human, dragon, or even goblin!"  
  
Kuja smirked. "That bad, huh? I don't want to know what she said, then."  
  
Flare shook his head wildly. "Don't you dare repeat that! When I'm a hundred I think I'll still be to young to hear all that!"  
  
"Mm hmm. Hate to ruin the fun," said Esuna, "but we need to get out of here. C'mon, lets get back to the entrance."  
  
"Okay, but, Esuna? How do you plan to get us out? And where do we go from here?" Flare questioned.  
  
"Getting out is easy. What you do from there is up to you. I'm going to go and find the priest that sealed my dra...I mean, voice away."  
  
"Dragon?! He sealed your dragon away?" Kuja demanded. "So that's what you wouldn't tell me!"  
  
Esuna looked away. "Keep yourself out of it, Kuja. It doesn't matter."  
  
Kuja stalked up to her and grabbed her shoulders. "How can you say that? Of course it matters!"  
  
Flare grinned slightly and left the room, leaving Kuja and Esuna alone.   
  
"I don't want to get you dragged into this!" Esuna cried. "It isn't fair to you!"  
  
"No, it isn't fair to you," Kuja protested, "to have your voice and your dragon sealed away."  
  
"I didn't have a dragon sealed away! You don't know what your talking about, Kuja! Leave me alone!"  
  
Kuja took a step back at Esuna's outburst. She ran from the room, but he saw a glistening drop fall from her face to the floor.   
  
  
  
She didn't know where she was. The red grass around her came up to her chest. Short, curly honey brown locks flowed around her ears. Her honey eyes looked around her bemusedly. The only thing she wore was a gold chain around her neck, with a single amethyst at the end of it.   
  
She remembered nothing, and only knew that she was dreaming. The red sky blazed overhead, and gazing straight in front of her, a blue planet was visible, three times the size of any moon. It seemed to glow with an eternal light.  
  
And then she turned around, seeing another planet. This one was both blue and green, with pure clouds swirling around it.   
  
She was confused. What was this place? 


	2. Two

  
  
Chapter Two  
Escape  
  
Esuna raised her hands above her hair as streams of purple light swirled around her. Her hair was lifted upward.   
  
"Spirits!" she cried. "Souls of Terra! Hear me! Feel me!"  
  
The beams of purple light around Esuna strengthened in color.  
  
"Forgotten in the Time Sea...Are you ready?"  
  
Kuja's eyes widened. He had never seen magic like this before, and it was obvious that Esuna was making up her own spell.  
  
"...Then Release me!!"  
  
Esuna cried out the last to words with such force that the purple lights became white. They became a whirlwind around her, and then a single beam shot into the desert above her, spreading itself to form a large cylinder. The passage was clear to the surface.  
  
Esuna stepped into the beam, and it lifted her up. Kuja and Flare followed suit.   
  
The beam, as soon as they had reached the surface, closed, but not before it released a blast of energy that launched them so high into the air, Kuja knew he would be very sore when he woke up.   
  
He landed with a not to pleasant fwump next to Esuna. Flare, however, simply took flight and landed softly on his claws.  
  
"You humans," he said scornfully. "I thought you had the heart of a dragon, Esuna. Dragons always land on their feet."  
  
Esuna mumbled something that Kuja could barely make out, and his eyes widened at her language. He laughed.   
  
"You really do swear worse than goblins."   
  
Esuna grinned. "We'd better get going. Up for going back to Alexandria? I could let you confront the Queen on your own."  
  
Flare snorted. "Oh yeah, she'll like that."  
  
"Heh heh. She's got a point, Flare."  
  
"Oh, of course I do. What else would I have, a blunt end?"  
  
Flare snorted. "Probably."  
  
"Look, we've got to go somewhere. I personally want to see Garnet's face," said Kuja, smirking. "It's too good to pass up."  
  
"You bet! Flare, meet us there, will you?" Esuna asked.  
  
"WHAT?! I'm not coming with you two??" the dragon demanded indignantly.   
  
"Nope. We're gonna walk, hitch hike, whatever it takes. But you'll have to meet us there."  
  
"Um, Esuna? Why?" Kuja asked.  
  
She shrugged. "Because I said so."  
  
""Why you pig headed little --" Flare began.  
  
"Don't go there."  
  
"Alright, I won't. But I am going with you."  
  
"Fine. But you have to beat me first," Esuna challenged.   
  
"But that isn't fair!" the dragon protested. "I don't have any magic!"  
  
"Exactly. It's a no win situation."  
  
"Ha ha, Esuna?" Kuja asked. "Why couldn't you have been with me from the very start to kick this guy in the rear? He was such a pain sometimes."  
Esuna smiled. He may have been a pain, but he still loves Kuja. Their bond is strong.   
  
Flare's scales slowly turned a modest pink.  
  
"Yah!" Kuja cried out. "You change colors, too?!"  
  
Esuna smiled, her raven hair glinting a slight purple in the desert sunlight. "He's blushing, Kuja. It's your own fault, you silly dragon. You're the one who read my mind!"  
  
"I know, I know. But thank you for the compliment," Flare said sheepishly.   
  
"You're welcome. Now, shoo! We'll meet you in Alexandria."  
  
"Alright, alright!"  
  
With that, the dragon was gone, his scales creating a blast of reflected light.   
  
Esuna's hair suddenly whipped around her face, and a circle filled with runes appeared at her feet, glowing a pale purple. A needle spun in it, using her feet as a pivot point. Eventually it stopped on a rune, pointing south west.   
  
"That way," stated Esuna simply.   
  
"But Alexandria is to the south east!" Kuja protested.   
  
"I told you I wanted to find the priest, right? Well, he's that way. I want my voice back completely. Let's check out the Black Mage Village."  
  
"Uh...I won't be too welcome there," Kuja said hesitantly.   
  
She shrugged. "Oh well. Mikoto will make sure they behave."  
  
"How do you know Mikoto?!"  
  
"I know lots of things you don't. Now lets go!"  
  
Esuna started off. Kuja shook his head. He was in no mood for a walk in the desert. He never was. He took one last look at his home, and then trudged after the raven haired girl.  
  
"Why do we have to walk, anyway? Why couldn't Flare have given us a ride?"  
  
"If the priest finds him, he...will be turned into a human."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
"That's not an answer, Esuna."  
  
"I know that. But it will have to do, because I'm not going to tell you any more. Stay out of it, Kuja. This is something even you don't want to get involved in."  
  
"Don't tell me that! I'll meddle where I damn well want to!"  
  
Esuna spun to face him, anger etched on her face. "No, you will not! Stop being so arrogant and narcissistic. The world is not about you, and you do not have to be a part of everything!"  
  
She gasped. "I'm sorry. Just. . .please. Don't ask me again."  
  
And with that, she turned and ran, leaving Kuja more confused that ever.   
  
  
  
"I don't understand. Why would this man make it so that you could not speak?" Mikoto asked.  
  
.: Please. Don't ask, because I can't tell you. But is there a human priest here?:.  
  
"Well, yes, but where did you leave Kuja? Surely, with his powers, he could break the spell?"  
  
Esuna looked away. .:No, and I don't want him to. This is magic is within his reason, but the man who put this curse on me is not. Where is the priest that came here? I am sure it is him.:.  
  
"He is above the windmill. But how will you get him to give it back?"  
  
.:I'm...not sure. But please, don't tell Kuja.:.  
  
" As you wish."  
  
.:Thank you, Mikoto.:.  
  
Esuna turned to the windmill, unaware that Kuja followed behind her, at just enough distance to not be noticed.   
  
When she entered, the black mages nodded to her, as well as the one Genome that was in the room. Esuna began to climb the ladder, sighing. I hope I do regret this.  
  
Kuja waited until she was sure she was at the top, and then he followed her. He ignored the looks of fear that crossed the black mages, the way their eyes began to glow for fiercely with hidden fury.  
  
"But you must give it back! I --" Esuna's voice was suddenly choked off. She whirled around.   
  
.:Kuja! I told you to stay out of this!:.  
  
"No way. I want to see what's going on!"  
  
"You!" the man in front of Esuna snarled. Then he laughed. "You have no idea what she is, do you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kuja demanded.  
  
"Ha ha ha! This is rich. But, unfortunately, even the great and evil Kuja cannot stop me from killing her. I tried before, to kill this dragon. But it didn't work. Instead, I got her dragon body and her voice. But I won't fail this time!"  
.:No!:. Esuna's inner voice screamed so loudly Kuja thought his head would split.   
  
"Ultima!" the priest shrieked, point his druid's staff at Esuna.  
  
Esuna's mouth opened in a silent scream as she was flung back against the roof of the hut.  
  
"Esuna!" Kuja cried.   
  
.:Kuja!:. Esuna spoke to him only, her voice weak. She took a golden chain off of her neck, adorned with only a single amethyst. .:Take this, and give it to someone special to you.:.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? Esuna!" Kuja demanded weakly, taking the pendant.  
  
"Even that stupid treasure of hers won't save you! I might as well take you with her, Angel of Death! You are from the evil planet, so you must die!" The priest cried. "Ultimate End!"  
  
Kuja's eyes widened. He had only heard of the spell Ultimate End, and he knew briefly, before the blast of white fire hit him, that there would be no Black Mage Village when the priest was done.  



	3. Three

  
  
Chapter Three  
Lessons in Magic, Cooking, and Driving   
  
  
What was that?  
  
Was it...a voice?  
  
Singing?  
  
Where was he?  
  
Who was he?  
  
He hurt.  
  
Everywhere.  
  
Was he alive?  
  
Was he dead?  
  
He didn't know.  
  
He didn't know...  
  
Anything.  
  
But...  
  
That voice.  
  
Not singing.  
  
Speaking.  
  
To him.   
  
"ay...Are you okay?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I said, are you okay?"  
  
Kuja tried as hard as he could to open his eyes, but he couldn't.  
  
"My eyes..."  
  
"Oh! Of course! Let me get the cloth off them for you."  
  
He felt a weight being removed from his eyes, and he opened them again, blinking at the harsh sunlight.  
  
"Where...am I?"  
  
"My house," the voice replied.  
  
Kuja turned his head slightly the see who the speaker was. It was a girl, with honey brown curly locks that barely reached her ears, though it still flowed freely. Her eyes were the lightest honey brown he had ever seen. She wore denim shorts and a white shirt that had very thin straps.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Clove, but most people just call me Clover. Now it's my turn. Who are you, and how on earth did you get so beat up?"  
  
Kuja groaned and sat up painfully.   
  
"Be careful," Clover warned. "You're gonna hurt for a while."  
  
"Tell me about it. My name is Kuja."  
  
"Kuja? What a weird name."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, I meant no offense!"  
  
"Alright, then. I think someone cast Ultimate End on me, and that's why I'm so beat up. If I researched the spell correctly, I shouldn't be alive."  
  
Clover looked at him like he was crazy. "Uh...spell? You mean like magic?"  
  
"Oh course, magic. What else did you think it was?"  
  
"I think you got your head whacked a little too many times. Magic doesn't exist. Not here, anyway."  
  
"Where is here?"  
  
"Seattle."  
  
"Sea...what?"  
  
"Seattle. You know, in Washington state, in the U.S.A.?"  
  
"U.S.A.? What's that?"  
  
"Um. . . Alright, let's do it this way. Where do you come from?"  
  
"I was born on Terra, but last time I checked, I was on Gaia, in the Black Mage Village."  
  
"Uh...right."  
  
"You don't believe me."  
  
"Well, duh. However, if your from another planet, that would explain why you have a. . .well, a tail."  
  
"How did you see my tail?!" Kuja gasped. He suddenly realized he wasn't wearing anything. "Where are my clothes?"  
  
Clover pointed to a chair. Kuja's entire ensemble of clothing was there.   
  
"Don't know why you want them, though. I mean, sure, they're nice colors, and probably expensive too, but the thong... That wouldn't go to well with just about anyone here."  
  
"Um.. You weren't the one.. who... um ...Took my clothes off, were you?"  
  
"Of course I was, silly!" the girl replied. Suddenly she grinned and stood up. "My only complaint was that your so skinny."  
  
Kuja blushed furiously.  
  
"Speaking of skinny, I'll go get you some food."  
  
"What am I supposed to wear in the meantime?" Kuja asked.  
  
"Whatever you want. I might have some pants or shorts or something that'll fit you. Just don't look in the first drawer. I think what's in there is a little bit out of your league," Clover said with a wink, and left the room.  
  
Kuja, shaking his head at such a blunt woman, began to search her drawers. He avoided the first one, deciding to take her word on it. He eventually found a fair of denim shorts that went a little bit past his knees.   
  
Clover close that moment to walk into the room.   
  
"Oh good, at least I didn't catch you with my pants down," she said with a grin.  
  
He had to smile. "I've never met anyone with your sense of humor before."  
  
"Really? Funny, there seems to be a lot of girls like me around her. Well, not quite so out of touch with reality, but that's close enough. Hmm. That's really interesting."  
  
"What is?" Kuja asked curiously.  
  
"You don't seem crazy."  
  
"Yes, about that. I can prove it to you."  
  
"Really? How?" Clover's skeptical attitude was apparent.  
  
"I'll cast a spell."  
  
Clover's right eyebrow went up. "You have my undivided attention."  
  
"Do you have anything that I could burn?"  
  
Clover laughed. "You could light all the candle's in my room with a single sweep of your hand, close the door without touching it, an then make me float to the ceiling," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Fair enough."   
  
Kuja swept his right arm round in a circle, and every single candy within the room blazed. He pointed a long finger at the door behind Clover, and it quietly shut. Then he raised both hands in the hair, and Clover blinked furiously from the ceiling.   
  
"Um. . . You were telling the truth, weren't you?"  
  
"Of course I was. Would you like to come down now?"  
  
Meekly, Clover nodded. Then she was bursting with questions.  
  
"Holy hell! How long have you been able to do that? Can you do anymore? Oh, I almost forgot! You're still hungry, aren't you? I'll be right back, okay?"  
  
Clover rushed from the room, almost exploding with glee.  
  
Kuja followed her out. Her house was strange. The white carpet. The soft looking white couches. He had never seen furniture like it.  
  
A wonderful smell directed him to the kitchen. Clover was flipping a sandwich on a black skillet. Kuja came up beside her.   
  
"What kind of sandwich is that?" he asked.  
  
"Grilled cheese."  
  
"Oh. And. . . Where is the fire to cook it with?"  
  
She laughed. "I take it you don't have electricity where you come from."  
  
"Elec...what?"  
  
"Electricity. Go over to the wall there, and flip that switch."  
  
Kuja obeyed, and gasped as a light turned on the ceiling.  
  
"You lied to me," he said flatly.  
  
"I did?" Her face showed obvious surprise as she flipped the sandwich over again.  
  
"Yes. You told me there was no magic here."  
  
Clover laughed again. "There isn't any. I should get you together with my technology teacher at school. You'll be fascinated when you learn what this world has in store for you, Kuja."  



	4. Four

  
  
Chapter Four  
Return to Gaia   
  
  
Kuja had been living with Clover for six months. He taught Clover some basic magic (gradually getting more advanced), and in return, she taught him how to drive. He wasn't nearly expecting how fast the drivers drove in the heart of the city. He was even more fascinated by the prospect of electricity.   
  
Clover taught him as much as she knew about her world, and he did the same for her. He didn't know it was possible for him to open up as much as he did with her. He missed Flare, and Esuna. He hadn't know the girl long enough to miss her as much as he missed his dragon, but he still missed her.   
  
He didn't have time to be homesick, however. He and Clover traded days to cook, and each time they cooked something the other had never tried. Kuja found that a grilled cheese sandwich was one of his favorites.   
  
He was studying a book on the American Revolution when Clover came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.   
  
"Hmm?" Kuja asked.  
  
"Wanna go see a movie?" Clover asked brightly.  
  
"Sure, but where do we go to see one?"  
  
"That's right! You haven't seen one yet, have you? Alright, then, let's go! I've already got a movie picked out," Clover said, grabbing her keys off a table next to the front door.   
  
"If you say so," Kuja said skeptically.   
  
Kuja wasn't exactly prepared for the movie Clover had picked out. It was a romance film, and it had a lot of kissing. Clover didn't seem to be really into it, and secretly, he was glad. She turned to look at him, and smiled. He smiled back.   
  
After the movie, Kuja and Clover had been walking in silence back to the house. It was a comfortable silence, though. Kuja was happy where he was. No one here but him knew what he had done, and he was ultimately glad. Only Clover knew where he came from, and he trusted her.   
  
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Kuja asked suddenly.  
  
Clover laughed. "Me? No way. All the boys at school are morons who only discuss how well their girlfriends kiss."  
  
Kuja chuckled slightly. "I bet you just love hearing that."  
  
She smiled. "Why, of course I do!" she cried, batting her eyelashes, her voice loaded with sarcasm. "I couldn't possibly think of anything else I'd rather do!"  
  
"What's kissing like?" he asked timidly.   
  
She grinned. "From the stories the boys tell at school, it doesn't matter how a girl kisses as long as she's a babe. But your asking the wrong person. I wouldn't know."  
  
"You've never been kissed?"  
  
Clover snorted. "I could say the same for you."  
  
He stopped and turned to her. He just stood there, looking at her.   
  
Finally he asked, "How old are you?"  
  
"Sixteen."  
  
"Only sixteen? How come you have your own place?"  
  
She smiled sadly. "My parents died last year, in a plane crash. I got legal permission from the state to live on my own."  
  
"I see." Kuja grinned suddenly, then blushed.  
  
"What?" Clover demanded. "I know that look! What are you planning on doing?"  
  
"Doesn't matter. I can't do it anyway."  
  
"How come?"  
  
His grin widened. "It'll embarrass you."  
  
"No it won't."  
  
"Yes it will."  
  
"I don't believe you! C'mon, what is it?"  
  
"Tempting, but I can't."  
  
"Argh! Why?"  
  
"I already answered that."  
  
"I don't care if it'll embarrass me, you got my curiosity up. What were you thinking of doing?"  
  
"This," he said, and swiftly brought his lips down to hers. She just stood there for a moment. Clover had really not expected this. She hesitantly slipped her hand around his neck, not sure if he meant the kiss, or if it was a joke.   
  
Kuja wrapped his hands around her waist, delighted that she was kissing him back. He finally pulled back, and they were both breathing hard. Kuja's hands tightened around her waist.   
  
"Did you mean that, Kuja?" Clover asked seriously.   
  
"Did you?"  
  
She hesitated. Kuja's head immediately pulled back farther.  
  
"You didn't!" he accused.  
  
"Yes! I mean, no! I was. . .just scared that if you hadn't meant it, we'd never be able to look at each other again..."  
  
The sadness in her voice made him wrap his arms round her. She tilted her head up to look at him, and he got so close that their lips barely brushed.   
  
"I meant it," he said softly, and effectively silenced any response from her.  
  
  
  
"Jeez, Kuja, your slow! Can't you cook any faster? I'm starved!" Clover cried from the living room.  
  
"You ungrateful little girl! I'll make sure I put poison in it!"  
  
The sarcasm in Kuja's voice made Clover grin. She was slightly giddy around him, though she tried to hide it.   
  
He came out with a spoonful of sauce. "Try it."  
  
She took the spoon from him and sipped it gingerly. She burned her lips, but the sauce was delicious. She told him so.   
  
"I'll have to try some then," he said.   
  
"Gee, thanks! Testing your poison on me first!"  
  
He grinned. "You're welcome."  
  
Clover followed him into the kitchen. "Your making spaghetti! No fair, I've had that before!"  
  
"Really? Hmm, what a shame. Too bad. I'm not cooking anything else."   
  
"You meanie! You did that just so you didn't have to think up something I've never had."  
  
"Guilty," he said innocently, and he lowered his head to kiss her neck. Clover couldn't stop the happy shudder that ran through her.  
  
He reached out and absently flipped the "Off" switch on the stove.   
  
"Kuja? What about din --"  
  
He cut her off once more, his hands wrapping slyly around her waist. Before she could do anything, he pulled back.  
  
Clover shook her head. "You confuse the hell out of me."  
  
Kuja grinned. "I know. Dinner is done anyway. I want to show you something."  
  
He beckoned her to follow him in the bedroom. She slightly hoped that this wasn't leading where she thought it was, but a bigger part of her secretly wished that it would.   
  
He opened the drawer on her nightstand and pulled out a gold chain, with a single amethyst on it. Clover gasped and paled as she saw it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've seen myself wearing that necklace...in my dreams."  
  
"What dreams?" he asked softly.  
  
"I'm in a field, and I'm not wearing anything except that necklace. It's all red grass, and it almost reaches my neck. There are...three planets surrounding me."  
  
"Three?" Kuja asked sharply.   
  
She blinked at him. "Yeah. A bright blue one, which is very close to a red one. It almost looked like they would merge. And then, in a complete other direction, there was a planet that looked a lot like Earth, except for the continent shapes."  
  
Kuja paled.  
  
"What?" Clover cried.  
  
"Those worlds...are where I come from."  
  
"Really?"  
  
He nodded. "I was born on the blue one, Terra. I think the red one is the other moon of Gaia that was so close to Terra, that died when I tran..." He broke off suddenly and looked away. "I don't want to talk about it. But, I do want to talk about the necklace. I got it from a lady named Esuna. She died, I think. When you found me so beat up, she was, too. But on Gaia. We both got hit by the same blast."  
  
"I'm sorry. Was she a friend?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
Clover nodded and pulled him down to sit on the bed beside her.   
  
"You know, Clover? I'm happy. . . happy that I'm living here, that," and he grinned," you kissed me back."  
  
"Mm. Did I? I can't seem to remember..." she replied slyly.   
  
"Perhaps I can refresh your memory?" he asked innocently.   
  
He pressed his lips against hers, and there was no resistance from her this time. She pulled back after a few minutes, feebly trying to breathe.   
  
Without realizing what he was doing, he gently leaned over her, forcing her down to the bed. He kissed her gently, and his hand slid up the front of her shirt.   
  
Whatever part of Clover's mind didn't want this, it must have been busy doing something else at the time, because she had no complaints.   
  
  
  
"Hey, Clover?"  
  
"Yeah, Kuja?"  
  
"I know a way that I can get back to my world, and you can come with me. But. . .I'm not liked there too much, and I don't think we'll be able come back here."  
  
"Don't worry," Clover said. "We'll figure out some way that we can. And who knows? Maybe I'll like it so much I won't want to leave."  
  
He grinned ruefully. "I don't think so. At least we don't have to worry about. . .well, I guess we do have to worry about a place to stay."  
  
"Why? What about your house?" she asked in puzzlement.   
  
"It's not exactly a house, and it has a magic barrier around it. I'm not weak, but I'm not good with weapons. I'll be helpless, so we can't stay there."  
  
"If it's not a house, what is it?" Clover asked, more confused that ever.  
  
"A palace," he said with a grin.  
  
She laughed. "I should have expected as much from you. Do you want to go back?"  
  
"A little. But I really enjoy being here. Much more than I enjoyed my old world. I consider this place home, here with you."  
  
She nodded. "Yes, I guess so. But this isn't my home. My home is where ever you are, now. You got here, didn't you? However we need to, we'll be able to get back."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Absolutely. So, how do we get there?"  
  
"Through a mirror that Esuna gave me to get out of the palace. You'll end up in a lake, but it won't matter. It's near to shore."  
  
"Okay. Let's do it. Let me go grab a swimsuit for both of us, though."  
  
He grinned and stopped her. "We don't use swimsuits there. We don't have elastic, either."  
  
She smiled. "I can live with that."  
  
"Good." Kuja said as he took out the mirror. He pointed at it. "Tok Ahkim!"  
  
Clover's eyes grew wide as the mirror did.   
  
"C'mon," Kuja said, and stepped through.   
  
Clover took one last look around, wondering if she was crazy for doing this. She shrugged and stepped through.  



	5. Five

  
  
Chapter Five  
Noises in the Forest  
  
  
Going into a lake from a place of air and changing worlds at the same time is easier said than done. Clover found herself at the surface of the lake suddenly, gasping for breath.  
  
"Woo! That's weird."  
  
"Yeah," Kuja agreed, swimming to shore.   
  
"So this is your world? Doesn't look much different than mine."  
  
"That's because you haven't seen the cities yet. Or," he added, grinning, "my dragon."  
  
She gasped. "Dragon?!"  
  
"Let me call him. It's been a long time. I'm not sure if he'll come."  
  
Kuja closed his eyes. White hairs of magic began to whip around his body, and then they shot into the sky. Several seconds later a roar split the silence.  
  
"You idiot! Where the hell have you been?!" the great silver dragon cried furiously.  
  
Clover's eyes widened as Flare turned to her. "And just who. . .are you?"  
  
"Um...Clover."  
  
"Clover? And how is it that you are with Kuja?" Flare tired hard to hide his snarl, but his rage at Kuja had not ebbed in the least.  
  
"Flare, stop pestering her!" Kuja cried.  
  
"Why should I listen to you, when you left me for so long?!"  
  
"It wasn't my choice!"  
  
"It. . .wasn't?"  
  
"No!" Clover cried, intervening in their heated argument. "He was so hurt he didn't open his eyes for four weeks! It wasn't his fault at all, Flare."  
  
"Humph. Alright, then. How are you related to Kuja?"  
  
She grinned. "You'll see eventually."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" the dragon demanded.  
  
"Nothing, yet."  
  
Flare gave a draconian grin. "You found someone like you, Kuja. Always talking in riddles."  
  
Kuja smiled, but then it quickly faded. "Is Esuna alive?"  
  
"...No. We found her in the Black Mage Village, and Garnet was so furious, she had the priest tracked down and killed. Several black mages saw it all."  
  
"I see. Does Zidane still have the Invincible?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Hello! People! It's not like I'm here or anything," Clover said sarcastically. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
Flare sighed, and Kuja smiled.   
  
"I hope she isn't really hard to talk to, like Lady Hilda," Flare commented. "We've got a lot of explaining to do, if she doesn't know about any of this. Where do you come from, anyway? You're way behind in the times."  
  
Kuja grinned. "I suppose we have some explaining to do as well."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well," Clover said slowly, "I come from a different world, for a start."  
  
  
  
"You're a funny little human, Clover," Flare commented when Clover was finished telling of how she met Kuja.  
  
Kuja chuckled good-naturedly. "That she is. Give her a band-aid and some healing cream, along with a little scented lotion for herself, and she can heal anybody."  
  
Clover grinned as Flare's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't think I've ever heard you laugh like that before."  
  
Kuja shrugged. "So I lightened up a little. Something wrong with that?"  
  
"No," Clover said slyly. "But, I hadn't realized that you were a bully before I met you."  
  
Flare slapped a claw on the ground. "You didn't tell her," he snarled. "You're taking her friendship and using her blindly, when she doesn't even know what kind of a monster you were."  
  
"Who says I don't know?" Clover demanded, before Kuja could look sheepish and shame-faced.  
  
"How could you possibly know?" Flare shot back, suddenly very angry. "After all, you're only a small --"  
  
"Girl?" Clover finished heatedly. "I know damn well what he did, and I'm fine with it! He's changed, you know?"  
  
Flare snorted. "He'll only use you."  
  
"Why are you acting like this?" Kuja cried. "I thought you were my dragon, long time companion! Why? Why are you doing this?"  
  
The large dragon blinked in surprise, as if only realizing what he had said. He looked away. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."  
  
Clover raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.   
  
Later, all three were around a raging fire in the woods. Kuja looked at Clover admiringly. The fire made her hair simply glow golden, the thin wisps of flame dancing in her eyes. She hadn't spoken since the argument with Flare, and that disturbed Kuja a little. She had always been so alive and full of energy, and now she was answering merely with nods or shakes of her head.   
  
"Clover?" Kuja asked tentatively.  
  
"Hmm?" Clover looked up from the fire.  
  
"Why don't you want to go to Alexandria?"  
  
"Flare told me your not welcome there."  
  
The dragon's nostrils flared indignantly. "I did no such thing!"  
  
"But you did," Clover contradicted. "When anyone mentions Alexandria, your eyes grow a little bit wider, and you look at Kuja like a nervous puppy, and at the same time you look like a fox stalking it's prey, or a cat pouncing on her catch. You want him to go there, but you also fear him. Meaning your going behind his back. Your claws flex every time you look at him. And when you look at me, there is pity in your eyes. But, you also don't want me to get hurt. You keep mentally saying, 'Go Away.'"  
  
Flare's muzzle dropped, and Kuja smirked.   
  
"Oh yeah. Flare? I forgot to mention. Clover is very good at interpreting body language."  
  
"Please," Clover said, standing up. "Leave."  
  
The dragon stood. "Alright. But you don't know the half of what Zidane and Garnet have planned for you, Kuja. You'll be sorry that you didn't protect Esuna."  
  
And with that, he launched off.  
  
"Esuna..." Clover said softly. "Everything comes back to her. How did you know I was good with body language?"   
  
Kuja looked at her as she sat back down. "I didn't. I bluffed, just like you bluffed about knowing what I did."  
  
Clover sighed. "You'll tell me someday, won't you?"  
  
"I don't know. You don't want to hear it. And -- I don't think I can tell it."  
  
"Alright. I understand. C'mere, you. Let's get some sleep. We need to start moving in the morning before Flare comes with your brother and his lady."  
  
  
  
"Dammit!" Flare swore. "I had him here," and he clenched his claw for emphasis, "and then that witch he brought with him caught me! I don't know how she did it!"  
  
"Calm down, Flare. They won't get anywhere. We've got soldiers everywhere," said Zidane. "They aren't getting out of the woods."  
  
"You think soldiers will stop him?"  
  
"No. But Clover will. She won't let him kill any of them," Garnet said.   
  
"Yeah," Eiko added. "But don't any of you dare hurt her! She sounds really nice."  
  
"You're right, Eiko," Zidane said, smiling at the small girl. "I'd like to meet her myself. Flare, know where they were?"  
  
"Of course. I can carry all three of you."  
  
"Alright, let's go."  
  
  
  
"Ewwww! Totally gross!" Eiko cried, turning away.   
  
Flare rolled his eyes at the grin forming on Zidane's lips.  
  
Across the clearing Kuja and Clover were gasping for breath.   
  
"What the heck was that?" Clover demanded. "Do you want your breakfast burned?"  
  
He grinned impishly. "Yeah. I want it on fire."  
  
Clover playfully smacked him away. "I don't! I'm hungry, and I'm not fond of eating you."  
  
"Heh heh. Alrighty."  
  
But as soon as Clover turned to tend to breakfast, Kuja's arms were around her waist, pulling her to the forest floor.   
  
Clover broke away. "I don't want to catch it on fire, Kuja!" she protested uselessly.   
  
He pressed his lips against her again and distractedly waved his had. What must have been an entire year's worth of rain came crashing down on the fire, splashing them both. Kuja grinned.  
  
"Oop-sy."  
  
"Kuja, we have to get out of here, or they'll find us. You know that."  
  
"That I know. Care I don't."  
  
"Argh! Now your talking like those two clown bimbos!"  
  
"Uh huh. But I wanna stop talking now," he said, tracing her shoulder blade idly and then bringing his finger up to her neck.   
  
"Do you?" she asked, struggling to speak as his mouth replaced where his finger had been.   
  
"Mm hmm."  
  
Kuja's explorations stopped abruptly. He lifted his head slightly, groaned, and stood up.  
  
"Get out here, brother. Stop spying like scared children."  
  
"One of us is a scared child, Kuja!" Eiko cried furiously. "That was so icky! How can you kiss him?" she demanded to Clover's great amusement.   
  
A small chuckled escaped Clover. "It's exactly like when you kissed Zidane."  
  
Both subjects of Clover's sentence blushed furiously, and Garnet stamped her foot. "You didn't, Zidane!"  
  
"It was only a short kiss, after we beat Necron!"  
  
"But I still liked it," Eiko said sheepishly.   
  
Clover smiled at Garnet. "You're prettier than he said you were."  
  
Now it was the queen's turn to blush. "Thank you," she said, and then looked furiously at Kuja. "You talked about me?!"  
  
He waved his hands vaguely at the sky. "You're too pretty not to."  
  
Clover said grumpily, "Well excuse me for not being a babe."  
  
A slow, sly smile spread across Kuja's face. "We'll see how much of a babe you are later."  
  
"Eek!" Clover and Eiko cried at the same time, but one voice was playful, the other sounding like she had just kissed Amarant. Clover laughed.   
  
"You're cute, Eiko. I should make you my little sister," Clover said with a wink. "We'd never stop talking about girl stuff."  
  
Kuja and Zidane groaned.   
  
Clover waggled a finger at the two of them. "You know we'll only discuss you."  
  
Eiko giggled and grinned. "I wouldn't want Garnet mad at me."  
  
Clover smiled. "Hey, they're fair discussion game."  
  
"Hey!" Garnet cried, hands on hips. She nudged Zidane with her elbow and grinned at the girls. "At least let me talk too."  
  
Eiko dissolved into a fit of giggled, and Kuja prayed that he wouldn't have to deal with this. "Where'd Flare go?" he asked suddenly.   
  
Clover's eyes widened. "I don't trust him. Do you mind if I use some of the magic you taught me?" she asked timidly.   
  
"Of course not."  
  
"OK. Here it goes."  
  
Clover raised her arms to the sky, and bright red light swirled around them.  
  
The red light shot away from Clover's hands into the woods, leaving a wispy trail of faint red dust that glowed in the air.   
  
"There you go," Kuja said encouragingly. "We follow that, we find Flare."  
  
"Right," Clover said.  
  
Zidane was too busy to listen to the conversation. His mind was whirling, thinking of how much Kuja had changed since he had disappeared. His thoughts were abruptly disturbed, however, as his brother smacked him on the back of the head.  
  
"Hel-ooo? Are you even alive?" Kuja demanded with a grin. Behind him, Clover chuckled.   
  
"Kuja, Kuja, Kuja," she chided.  
  
He grinned. "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha," was his answer.  
  
Clover dissolved into hysterics at that, and Kuja joined her, leaving everyone but themselves confused.   
  
"Oh God," Clover muttered between gasps and barks of laughter. "You even caught on to the Brady Bunch! Clever little thing, aren't you."  
  
Kuja snorted, he laughter barely diminished. "What's wrong with me? You're sooo contagious! Why did you have to start laughing?"  
  
Zidane stood there staring at them. "What on earth happened to you, Kuja?" he asked abruptly.  
  
"Hmm?" Kuja asked, his laughter subsiding.   
  
"You actually laughed, Kuja. You laughed."  
  
Clover raised her eyebrows. "So," she said, standing up. "You were that bad, huh? To never have laughed."  
  
Kuja turned to look at her, trying to speak. He wanted to tell her, but didn't. What Flare said about him taking her affection and making her blind was true enough that it hurt. Clover shook his head.  
  
"Don't, Kuja. Don't worry about it. As long as it comes from you, I don't care when I learn what happened before I found you."  
  
With that, she turned and followed the trail of red dust, leaving the rest to only follow after her. As Kuja began to trail behind, lost in thought, he was surprised when Eiko came up beside him.  
  
"You have to tell her sometime, you know," the little girl said timidly.   
  
"I know," Kuja said sullenly. He was not looking forward to that day.   
  
"Could I help?"  
  
"What?" he said bemusedly, clearly surprised.   
  
"I might be able to help some, but gimme some info. Why are you coming with us, anyway?"  
  
"I'm not. I'm following Clover."  
  
"Oh. Well, anyway. As strange as it seems, trust Zidane. And you can trust me. I really like Clover, so I suppose I'll stick with you. Garnet's cool, too. She just doesn't like you very much."  
  
Kuja rested his hand on the small girl's shoulder. "Thank you," he replied honestly. "Never thought I'd say that, but you helped me before, too, you know."  
  
Eiko nodded. "I had to kick your butt. Shame I had to, though."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Eiko grinned devilishly. "You're cuter than Zidane."   
  
  
  
Clover dashed ahead of the others, the hurt that Kuja didn't trust her was more than she wanted to admit. So she focused on the trail of illuminated dust, sprinting easily through the forest of redwood trees. She had been surprised to find the rare trees growing so abundantly.   
  
She heard a roar ahead of her, and increased her already fast pace, leaping over fallen boughs of redwood. She entered a clearing, to see Flare on his haunches, ready to launch. And as he did so, she got a brief glimpse of a raven haired girl on his back. 


	6. Six

Chapter Six  
The Vision of Esuna  
  
  
Kuja found Clover sitting alone in the clearing. The others had retreated to the edges of the clearing, leaving Kuja space. The look on Clover's face was not a happy one.  
  
"What did she look like?"  
  
"Who?" Kuja asked in puzzlement.   
  
"Esuna."  
  
"Why do you ask about her so much?"  
  
"Just tell me, Kuja."  
  
Kuja blinked at her tone. She had her back to him, the cool breeze ruffling her dark honey colored locks.   
  
"She had long black hair, and it looked purple in the sun."  
  
Clover whirled to face him, her face pale and her eyes wide. She made a small choking sound and turned away, her mind whirling.   
  
I have no reason to believe that was her. After all, everyone said she was dead.   
  
Everyone watched in puzzlement as Clover gasped.  
  
"No!" she cried aloud. "It was Flare who said that! And. . .he carried her away. . ."  
  
Kuja started and ran forward to her, hugging her tight as what seemed like a headache gripped her head mercilessly. Her hands flew to her temples, and she collapsed against Kuja.  
  
  
  
Images flooded her mind. Kuja. . .he was there. He and Esuna. Their lips were touching. What was this? A vision of the past? So. . .Kuja did have an affair with her. He never really told me about her, and when I asked if he was her friend, he said 'Sort of.' That could have meant anything. . .  
  
She turned back to the scene before her, the hurt in her heart clutching at her and refusing to let go. She tried to move her body, but couldn't. She was only an observer.  
  
Helplessly she watched as Kuja's hand slid up the back of the black shirt that Esuna was wearing, his silver tail wrapping around her.   
  
Please, she silently begged. Don't make me watch this.   
  
You will watch! a voice screamed at her.  
  
Why? Why must you make me see this? she demanded of the voice.  
  
To know that he is mine! You will never fully have Kuja, because he belongs to me. He always have, and he always will.   
  
No! she cried out. He may have once been yours, but now he is his own!   
  
We shall see, she voice said coyly, where his loyalties lie.  
  
  
  
"....Clover? Clover!"  
  
Clover stirred and blinked blurry eyes. Kuja's face slowly came into focus above her. Her head was swimming, but she still recalled her dream. She sat up abruptly.  
  
"What was Esuna to you?" she demanded.  
  
"A friend," he responded. "Even though I didn't know her very long. She helped me escape the magical seal on the Desert Palace."  
  
"So that's how he did it," Zidane whispered to Garnet on the edge of the clearing. She nodded slowly.   
  
"Look at me, Kuja."   
  
Kuja looked Clover in the eye.   
  
"Was she ever more to you than a friend?"  
  
"No! I barely knew her, Clover. What brought this up all of the sudden?"  
  
"But --" she protested at herself, her voice barely an audible whisper. "I saw you and her. . ."  
  
"Saw us what?"  
  
Clover shook her head. "It doesn't matter."  
  
Kuja looked bemusedly at her as she stood up. She swayed slightly, but seemed okay.   
  
"I'm sorry," she said, turning to him once again. "I have no right to ask questions like those. I believe you, Kuja."  
  
He smiled and took a step closer to her. Eiko tugged on Garnet's sleeve.   
  
"Let's go," she whispered, poking Zidane in the ribs to get him to look at her. The three left into deeper woods, Garnet puzzling over Clover.  
  
"She really adopted you quickly, Eiko," Garnet observed. "I don't know if Kuja is evil anymore, but she certainly isn't."  
  
"He isn't evil," Zidane said. "He was confused, and lonely. Not to mention full of rage. Put that together, and it's not surprising he blew up a planet. Like I said, I probably would have done the same thing in his shoes."  
  
"Yeah," Eiko said softly. "He seems completely normal. He almost flirts as much as you do, Zidane."  
  
Garnet giggled at that. "I don't think so."  
  
"Seriously, though, I wonder what Clover saw?" asked Zidane.  
  
"Whatever it was, I hope she'll at least tell Kuja. It had something to do with Flare. I don't trust him, either."  
  
  
  
Clover had so many things that she wanted to tell Kuja, but he wouldn't let her. Every time she tried to say something, he would kiss her long enough to leave her breathless. Clover flopped down on the forest floor.   
  
"What's it like?" Clover asked softly. "Having so much magic and power at your command?"  
  
"It makes me a little dizzy, actually," Kuja responded, laying down beside her. "But my magic always comes at hand when I need it."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"Uh huh. But I know what's better."  
  
"What?"  
  
He leaned over to kiss her shoulder lightly. "When you make me dizzy."  
  
She chuckled. "You've never made me dizzy."  
  
His kisses slowly roamed to the center of her throat, then along her collar. "Really?" he asked, between kisses. "I'll have to try harder, then."  
  
"I guess so," she said, twisting to kiss behind his ear. Their lips met, and Clover had a sudden wish that she could stay like this forever. And she had another wish, a hidden wish. . .  
  
She blushed, pulling back and putting a hand to her cheek. Kuja put his hand on her other cheek, kissing the corner of her mouth.  
  
"What?" he asked lazily.   
  
"It doesn't matter. It's just a thought."  
  
"I like your thoughts."  
  
Clover shook her head. "I don't think I can tell you this one."  
  
"Then show it to me," he replied, his kisses reaching her cheekbone, making Clover's stomach flutter.   
  
"Well, back on Earth, I went shopping, and I found something, but I wasn't sure if you'd like it."  
  
Kuja's eyes widened as he felt something slip onto his ring finger.   
  
"It was a crazy idea," Clover continued. "But I had been hoping --"  
  
Her words were, once again, cut off by Kuja's mouth. He had never felt happier, and right then, neither had she. Clover had had trouble dreaming that he would say yes.   
  
"You want me to say yes, right?" asked Kuja.  
  
"Yeah," Clover replied, trying to stop the sinking feeling in her.   
  
"Well, I won't. Instead. . ." and he kissed her once more.  
  
Clover shot a quick glance around the clearing to make sure that they were alone, and then giggled. She tugged Kuja's armor off his shoulders, and he grinned at her.   
  
"I'm really happy, Clover. But you know what? I still have to make you dizzy."  
  
  
  
"So, what did you do when you were with Clover on earth?" Zidane asked his brother curiously.   
  
Kuja shrugged. "Earth things. I cooked a lot."  
  
Zidane chuckled. "Cooked?"  
  
"Uh huh." Kuja shook his head as he walked along in the forest. "Clover can only cook simple things well. But she's a good artist. She reminds me of what I first thought Garnet would be like."  
  
Zidane nodded. "She's like that, a little bit. Woo. I don't even want to think of the fall I'd be in for if she found out I was saying this to you."  
  
"Too late," a voice said behind them.   
  
Zidane turned to see the girls behind him. Clover grinned suddenly and whispered something in Garnet's ear.  
  
"You. . . you WHAT!" she cried.  
  
Clover snickered and whispered to her again.  
  
"Maybe," Garnet said dubiously. Clover nodded vigorously.   
  
"You really should," she said with a wink. "It works."  
  
"How would you know tha --" Garnet clamped her hand over her mouth. "Never mind."  
  
"Ha ha. You got it, toots," said Clover brightly.   
  
"What are you talking about? I don't like that look, Clover," Kuja said dubiously.   
  
"Hmm?" Clover asked innocently, batting her eyelashes and turning her knee in. "Whatever do you mean? I haven't the faintest --"  
  
"Enough! Forget I asked. Where's Eiko, anyway?"  
  
Garnet shrugged. "We can't tell you. But don't go looking for her."  
  
"Why?" asked Zidane.  
  
"Just. . . " Garnet began.  
  
"Because," Clover finished firmly.  
  
Kuja raised an eyebrow. "When you say that, it means, 'Go have a look-see.' So, which direction did she go?"  
  
Clover rushed up and rammed Kuja into a tree, pinning him there. "I don't think so, you," she said slyly, grinning at him. "You ain't goin' no where."  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Says me," Clover replied, pushing Kuja to the forest floor and sitting on him. Garnet laughed at such an absurdity, that the once most powerful man on Gaia should be shoved down and sat on by a small teenager. Zidane chuckled, caught up in Garnet's mirth as well.  
  
Kuja wrapped his arms around Clover's waist. "Fine. But if I stay here, so do you."   
  
"I can live with that," she replied, leaning against him. As Kuja's hands went up to hold Clover's shoulders, Zidane caught a glimpse of silver on his finger. His eyes widened.  
  
"Um. . .Kuja?"  
  
"Hmm?" the silver haired man asked, tilting his head to one side.  
  
"What's on your finger?" Garnet asked the question for Zidane.  
  
Clover and Kuja both rolled their eyes. "A ring. Duh."  
  
"I've got one too," Clover replied brightly, holding up her right hand. "See?"  
  
On the two rings were matching amethysts, shaped like a small explosion of spikes. The purple light within them could only be seen at the core of the gems, and they glinted brilliantly in the sunlight. The silver bands attached to the stones were not silver at all, but a gray metal that had a purple sheen to it.   
  
"You two are. . .getting married?" Garnet asked, a little stunned.  
  
Kuja shrugged. "Sooner or later."  
  
Clover pinched him. "Sooner, ya big oaf."  
  
"Alright, alright, sooner," he replied airily, kissing the back of her neck lightly.   
  
"Humph. Better be," she said with mock menace in her voice.   
  
"Anyway," Zidane said. "I never thought I'd see you get married."  
  
Clover smirked. "Really? Me neither. With his horrible cooking skills. . ."  
  
"Look who's talking!" Kuja shot back, grinning. "You're the one who can burn Jell-o!"   
  
She snorted. "You're the one who made spaghetti instead of something from Gaia --"  
  
"You're the one who enjoyed the after taste," he said, his grin growing even wider.   
  
She tried to supress her smile. "Well, you've got me there."  
  
"I don't even want to know," Eiko said, coming up behind them.   
  
"Then don't ask," Clover said sensibly.   
  
"Alright. Hey, Clover? What was it that you saw, back in the clearing?"  
  
"Um. . .well, I saw Flare take off."  
  
"Duh," Kuja said, rolling his eyes. "But you can get away with that, because you aren't lying. You're just leaving out half the truth."  
  
"I'm sorry," Clover said, pouting slightly. "I saw. . .what Esuna wanted me to see."  
  
Kuja's grip around her waist tightened severely. Clover made a small gasp.   
  
"Sorry," Kuja apologized, lightening his grasp so that it felt like a caress rather than a vice. Clover leaned her head back against his shoulder.   
  
"I'm confused, Kuja. Look into my head, I'll leave my mind open for you. I need to know if what I saw was real."  
  
"Ok."  
  
The other three watched quietly as Kuja closed his eyes, and saw. . .  
  
Flare, taking off. Himself, running through the clearing toward him. Him? No, Clover. He was seeing through Clover's eyes. Then he saw darkness, and then himself again, but with Esuna.  
  
His mental eyes widened as he realized why Clover had been like she had. Did Esuna send Clover this? He thought that Esuna had been dead, but then as he saw her riding on Flare. . .  
  
He gasped as his physical self awakened. "Clover."  
  
The tone in Kuja's voice made Clover's head snap around to look at him.   
  
"That did not happen. Hear me?"  
  
She silently nodded, relief flooding her face as she hid herself in the curve of his neck, his silver hair pooling around her. He held her even tighter, his lips tight with anger.   
  
"So. Esuna in alive."  
  
"What!" Garnet yelled.   
  
Kuja nodded. "She sent Clover a. . .vision. And, Clover saw her taking off with Flare. I saw it too, through her." He looked at Zidane. "I think be have another fight coming, brother. But this time, I am not your enemy."  
  
Clover gasped and pulled her face out of the sanctuary of his hair, and he realized too late what he had said. "You. . .were enemies?"  
  
He nodded slowly.   
  
"Tell me. Tell me what you did," Clover said simply in a no-nonsense tone.  
  
"I. . .hurt them very much. Destroyed Zidane's home world, Terra." Kuja wasn't sure how he was saying these things. He wished, for a moment, that he could retain the callous old self that would have let these things roll off his tongue like they meant nothing. But now, they had meaning. Because of Clover. He decided to just let it out, and fast. He looked away. "I killed Garnet's mother, destroyed Alexandria, created Black Mages that had a soul, though I meant them to be soulless. I killed Eiko's best friend. . .and them, in return, they saved me. Taught me the truth. And Zidane took my body from the Iifa tree, his own life at risk, and brought me out. I have. . .sinned beyond the point where a soul can bear it."  
  
Clover watched as these things unraveled from Kuja, his eyes staring vacantly at a nearby tree. He closed them, hung his head slightly, and brought his hand to his brow. Her heart was torn at the pain he had caused, and the pain that was now within him. Finally, she stood.  
  
"I've got some things to think about," she said, and strode into the lighter edges of the forest. The foliage was shining with tiny droplets of rainwater.   
  
The stars are crying. . .  
  
Where did that come from? Clover was no poet. That was more Kuja's department.   
  
Kuja.   
  
She had to think about him, though she didn't want to.   
  
"Please. Let me feel what Kuja felt, and see what he saw."   
  
Clover hadn't realized she had prayed aloud, and her body rocked as she collapsed against a tree. Garnet stood several yards from her, the rod outstretched slightly. White magic could also dive into a persons conscience. It took great energy to send one soul into another, but she had done it. Now, Clover could see the truth for herself. 


	7. Seven

Chapter Seven   
Breathing with an Angel of Death  
  
  
  
The tree loomed high above her, for she was at the base of it's roots. No, she wasn't. Kuja was. Zidane, Garnet, Eiko and a small black mage were in front of Clover/Kuja.  
  
"Spare me the lecture," he was saying, "Lives come and go all the time. What's the big deal?"  
  
"How can you say that?" Eiko cried passionately.   
  
"Lives are precious!" Garnet piped in.  
  
He smirked and waved his hands airily at the company. "Maybe. But I've been waiting for this chance for ten years. We shall see what the elephant lady can do."  
  
Kuja climbed onto a silver dragon -- Flare -- and lifted off into the air. "I'll give you a target you can't miss, Brahne," he whispered.   
  
He saw the ships approaching, and he readied himself. Flames swirled around him, stifling him, making him unable to breath.   
  
I have to endure this, he thought, as he felt a sword of fire slash his forehead. Or I can't control Bahamut.  
  
Reality seemed to swirl around her, and then there was blue everywhere. Zidane, Garnet, the little black mage, and a red headed man lay in front of Clover/Kuja, gasping, trying to keep from slipping away into darkness.   
  
"You see this, Garland? Father?"  
  
With that, he delivered a swift kick the man lying to his right, sending him flailing off the mushroom-like pillar they were on.   
  
You think I could let you live? a nasty voice in his mind asked. You will not live, Kuja. Failures die. There is a limit on your life, and you shall not be a part of this planet's future. Or Gaia's.  
  
"I'll. . .die? No. . .NO! I won't let it happen! I won't let the world live without me!"  
  
A rage, mingled with confusion, boiled within him, and it rocked her to the point of breaking. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! Wanting only to live, and discovering death was knocking on his door.  
  
Why?  
  
Why was he a failure? What had he done wrong? Need he be replaced? Zidane. That hateful name. It was his fault.   
  
With an inhuman roar, Kuja rose from the pillar, his fury causing him to glow with a ruby light. Crimson emotion burned raw into his soul, and another scream of pain and rage split the air. Scarlet beams of pure power shot from his hands, destroying all they touched. With each fit of rage and destruction, the presence of death pressed closer.  
  
"I won't let it happen!"  
  
He was. . .what was it? . . .Fear. He was scared. Scared of death, of dying. Death was so horrible. . .lives come and go all the time, right? But what happens when that life is his own?  
  
What could he do?  
  
What else?  
  
In a renewed fit of burning rage, he completed the destruction of the planet, his home. No. He had no home. No one wanted him. He was. . .alone. Left alone to die. But, there was still an option. Life would cease to exist for him, but he still had a chance to kill Zidane, to bring the suffering to him as Kuja had suffered . . .   
  
The crystal.  
  
  
  
Clover hadn't realized she was crying until she woke up, and her face was buried in wet cloth, cloth that was part of armor. Kuja held her in his arms, murmuring soothing nothings into her hair, his hands wrapped around her sides.   
  
"How could -- I have left you, when you needed me so much?" Clover asked, her voice shaking from both mental and physical drain.  
  
"It's all right. I don't know why you've stayed with me this long. You should have -- left. Left me to die, then. . ."  
  
"Never let me hear you say that again!" Clover all but shrieked, burying her face into his hair. Barely a moment later (Kuja hadn't realized she could moved so fast), her lips were pressed against his. He kissed her back, never needing to feel her as much as now.   
  
Kuja pulled back slowly, his lips barely a hair's breadth away from hers. Eyes half lidded, they stayed there, just looking at her. Clover couldn't pull away from those icy blue eyes, drawing her in deep enough to lose her humanity in a sea of pain.   
  
And at the same time, Kuja couldn't pull his cold eyes away from her warm honey ones, their light and happiness finally giving him humanity. Her body was always warm, radiating a heat and cozy warmth he himself had never felt, until now.   
  
Kuja leaned forward to kiss her earlobe. He then said something he had never said before, maybe never would again.  
  
"I love you."  
  
  
  
"They're slow," Eiko complained. "We've been in the forest three days! I have so many mosquito bites I can't count them!"  
  
Zidane laughed as Garnet cooked dinner over their fire. "If they have their way, they won't be back for several more hours," he said, winking at Garnet.  
  
She grinned. "Yup."  
  
"And just WHAT does that mean, Zidane Tribal?" Eiko demanded.  
  
"We'll tell you when your older," Garnet said smoothly.   
  
"Dagger? Have you forgiven Kuja?" Zidane asked, trying desperately to keep Eiko from yelling at the queen.   
  
She pursed her lips. "I don't know. It's strange. I hate him. He's a friend. I'm really confused about him, so I think I'll leave the 'Kuja Emotions' up to Clover."  
  
Zidane chuckled. "Good idea. We can go ahead and eat. I don't think they'll be joining us until dawn, or later."  
  
Garnet smiled. "They'll be hungry, so Eiko? Wanna help me cook breakfast really early?"  
  
"Sure!" was the enthusiastic response.  
  
  
  
"Mmmmm," Clover said, being gently stirred awake. A hand was shaking her shoulder, warm lips on hers. "Let me sleep more," she murmured.  
  
"No," Kuja said, laughing beside her. "I'm starved."  
  
She grinned. "So am I. You do that to a person. What time is it?"  
  
"My guess is around five a.m."  
  
"Nwfgew!" Clover cried. "Are you NUTS?! That's too early to get up."  
  
Kuja laid his hand on her flat belly, his lips roaming her neck. "I've never heard you make that noise before. You make as many sounds as a kitten."  
  
Clover, in one swift movement, flipped Kuja onto his back, lay her hand on his belly, and began roaming his neck with kisses. A low chuckled rumbled in his chest.  
  
"What brought this on?"   
  
"You, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
He smiled and leaned his head on the lush green forest floor, simply enjoying the moment. He laid his hand on the small of her back. "I should call you that," he mused.  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"Kitten. It suits you."  
  
She grinned slyly, nuzzled his neck, and seemed to purr, causing Kuja to laugh again. "See? You really can make a lot of noises."  
  
She kissed his jaw line, slowly making her way to his lips. "I can make a lot of noise, too."  
  
Kuja smiled against her mouth. "We'll see," he said.  
  
  
  
"Let's get out of this damned forest," Zidane said grumpily.  
  
"Amen!" cried Eiko happily.   
  
"Any idea where we're going?" Clover asked.  
  
"Uh. . .no?" Kuja responded with a grin.   
  
"I don't know where we're going to go, but we need to get Clover different clothes, as well as a weapon. Do you know how to use any weapons?" Garnet asked.  
  
Clover grinned. "Rapiers."  
  
Kuja chuckled. "Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that Clover fences."  
  
Zidane chuckled much like his brother had just done. "Black mage village might have some of those. They're done rebuilding the town now, I think. If we're lucky, they'll have a special one, with new magic you can learn from it."  
  
Eiko smiled. "That's always good."  
  
  
  
"The black mages only have a few rapiers," Mikoto said to Clover, gesturing around the store. There were four in a display case, but Clover wasn't looking at them. A voice in her head beckoned to her in unknown silent words, calling her to the windmill. Clover obeyed, leaving the shop wordlessly. Kuja and Zidane followed, a curious look on their faces.   
  
Clover entered the windmill, a blank look in her eyes. Mikoto followed her two brothers, as puzzled as they were. Clover finally stopped, and pulled a chest out from behind the windmill. Mikoto laughed out loud.  
  
"So, you heard the call of the demon."  
  
Clover snapped out of her trance and opened the long chest. A rapier lay inside, it's onyx blade glowing a faint white. She pulled it out and expertly twirled it in the air.   
  
"The demon, huh?" she asked. "Whatever. I want this one."  
  
"I figured you would," Mikoto said. "Take it, it's free. It is cursed. Be careful. If you know how, you will master it. Unfortunately, it's legend was lost. Learn when you make a mistake, and do not repeat it. It will cost you a comrade's life."  
  
Clover nodded. "Got it." She took a pair of gauntlets out of the chest. As she put them on, the weapon disappeared into a small onyx on the side of the right gauntlet. (The 'weapon going into glove' idea was taken from the manga Magic Knight Rayearth. ^^;;)  
  
Kuja chuckled. "I guess we don't have to worry about getting you a weapon now."  
  
"Nope." Clover looked at Zidane. "When this is over, I'd like you to come and see earth. You, Garnet, Eiko." She nodded at Mikoto. "You, too."  
  
Zidane nodded. "I'd like that, and I know everyone else would, too."  
  
Kuja grinned at Clover. "That many people won't fit in the house."  
  
She shrugged. "We can always stick them on the roof."  
  
  
  
"So, where are we going, anyway? We need to find Esuna and Flare, right?" Eiko asked.  
  
"Right," Clover confirmed. "Any idea, Kuja?"  
  
Kuja shook his head.   
  
"Well," Garnet said, "Flare often stayed around Conde Petie. But, since we're already around here, I don't think he'll be staying here."  
  
"I could try reading the stars," Clover said. Mikoto looked at her with a puzzled look. "It means that I try to read the future using the stars. Sometimes it works."  
  
Mikoto nodded. "I do not know how you would do it, but it is worth a try."  
  
"Alright."  
  
(If there actually is a way to read the stars that people practice, I'm sorry! I'm sooo sure I got this wrong. But, it at least sounds cool. ^^;;) Clover moved her arms out to either side of her, closed her eyes, and concentrated. She opened her eyes after a minute, and looked up at the stars. They swirled around her, and she struggled to read them, their messages were coming so fast.   
  
Rain.  
  
Blessings.  
  
Curses.  
  
Dragon.  
  
Black hair.  
  
Purple light.   
  
Explosion.  
  
Destruction.  
  
Soul.   
  
Searching.  
  
Silver hair.  
  
Red light.  
  
Indifference.  
  
  
The words rammed into Clover's mind (she continued to get more), and eventually, a paragraph formed in her mind.   
  
"Okay," she said, "I'm done. I got a sort of prophecy. I did my best to decode it. 'A land of rain, with the blessings of the Water Goddess Ran, and the petrified curse, a dragon waits. A girl with black hair and purple light magic creates an explosion, and destruction of souls. She's searching. . .for Kuja. And she doesn't care who she kills to get to him."  



	8. Eight

  
  
Chapter Eight  
He's Mine  
  
  
  
"Heh. Come here, my dragon," Esuna said. Flare came over, and the raven haired girl stoked his muzzle. "That wench Clover won't have him for long. He's mine, and he knows it. She may have gotten past the illusion with Kuja's help, but she is nothing."  
  
Flare nodded. "Yes. She is a weak human, not even from this planet. She can't control powerful magic, and her spirit is weak. She's easy prey."  
  
Esuna walked along the stone steps encircling Burmecia. "Yes. When I use the Iifa tree to harvest souls, I'll be invincible."  
  
"Right. But, why did you even pretend that the priest sealed your voice away in Alexandria?"  
  
"It was easy," Esuna replied, her stormy features contorting into a mask of hatred. "I got him to accompany me to the priest, and he would kill Kuja. I still have a chance to do that."  
  
"I thought that you wanted to have him?"  
  
"I do. Terra's magic will let me bring him back from the dead, and he will obey only me. It's perfect. Except. . .I am a bit worried that he will be sent to earth again. That's where he met that witch, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Um. We'll have to make sure he doesn't do that again, then. I'll get rid of that bitch sooner or later. I know that their coming. I have read it in the stars. Clover isn't the only one who can do that."  
  
Flare chuckled without humor. "As soon as Kuja pays, I'll be happy."  
  
"I'll make him pay by killing her first. . .and then I'll take him as mine."  
  
Esuna continued into Burmecia, her feet making rippled in the shallow water that was all over the city of rain. Flare walked off to the side, in wait.   
  
"We will stay here until they come. The final showdown. . .It will be here. Kuja is mine, and Clover will see it, and give into me. I'll make her bow before me. And then. . ." A hideous grin spread over her face, once again contorting it's beauty into a mask of fury and malice. "I'll kill her, right in front of Kuja. Tear her to ribbons. . ."  
  
That thought planted in Esuna's mind, she chuckled happily. Yes. The day was looking much brighter than it had an hour ago.   
  
  
  
Kuja sighed, nestled deep in Clover's arms. Her flannel robe felt soft against his cheek. Garnet and Zidane shared a bedroll beside them, and Eiko shared one with Mikoto, snuggled in happily, as if with a big sister. Mikoto wasn't sure what to make of the situation.   
  
"Humans confuse me," she said simply.  
  
"Me, too," Kuja said happily, snuggling in deeper. He felt so comfortable, he didn't want to move. Clover chuckled, the noise reverberating in her chest and echoing in Kuja's ears. "Well, I don't understand you Terra people, with your tails and your magic. Now, Gaians. Their just plain nifty."  
  
"Nifty?" Garnet asked timidly. "I'm sorry, I just don't quite understand--"  
  
"Forget it," Clover said airily. "It's slang. Nifty is like, cool."  
  
"That's slang, too, Kitten," Kuja replied. "Nifty is something to the effect of nice to be around."  
  
Eiko giggled. "You earth people are pretty nifty too."  
  
"Heh heh. You're so cute, Eiko. You should make Mikoto your big sister."  
  
Eiko smiled sadly. "Yeah. I would make you my big sis and come snuggle with you, but Monkey Boy No. 2 is in the way."  
  
Clover felt Kuja's hand tighten around hers, and she squeezed back, letting him know Eiko had meant nothing about the "No. 2" comment. He was still sensitive about being replaced, though he tried not to show it. He smiled at her gratefully.  
  
"Woah," Zidane commented. "What were those deep looks just for, you too?"  
  
"Nothing," Kuja replied, snuggling in once more and closing his eyes. He yawned hugely, defying all manners he had. Clover smiled and stroked his hair. "Go to sleep," she said. "I'll wake you when we leave."  
  
"Nah, you'll wake me when you get up. You ain't moving without me knowin' it."  
  
Clover grinned. "Yessir," she replied. "G'night."  
  
"'Night," was his response, and everyone in turn said good night to him, which surprised him into wakefulness again. "Why did you all just--"  
  
"Because they're your friends," Clover interrupted smoothly, continuing to stroke his hair.   
  
"Friends," he murmured, and closed his eyes again. "I like that."  
  
"You should," Garnet said, wrapping her arms around Zidane. "Friends are wonderful."  
  
"Yeah!" Eiko put in, grinning and pulling the blanket up to her nose.   
  
"Friends. . ." Mikoto said thoughtfully. "Do I have friends, too?"  
  
"Of course you do!" Zidane protested. "We're your friends. Even Clover, though you only met today. Don't worry, baby sister."  
  
Mikoto smiled. "I won't worry."  
  
"That's good," Clover said, leaning her chin on the top of Kuja's head, who, to everyone's great amusement, was snoring. Eiko giggled.  
  
"Who'da thought he snored?" she asked with a grin.  
  
"I heard him snoring one night back on earth, and I had to leave the house," Clover said with a laugh. "And his room was three doors down from mine."  
  
Zidane chuckled and buried his face in his billow like a small child.   
  
Oh, wow! Eiko thought happily, admiring him. He's soooooo cute!  
  
Mikoto looked at Kuja and Zidane. "Genomes don't need sleep," she said slowly, "so why do you sleep, when it is not necessary? Why do you let the movements of the sun control your life's pattern?"  
  
Zidane shrugged. "Used to it, I guess," he replied. "I'm not sure about Kuja, though. Maybe Clover knocks his out with a skillet or something."  
  
Clover laughed softly, trying not to wake Kuja. "Not quite, but I did whack him with a spoon once."  
  
Garnet giggled so hard to had to push herself against Zidane's back to keep from doubling over. "A spoon?!" she cried.  
  
"Uh huh. We got into a food fight, and I was trying to flick some peas at him with it, but instead, I threw the spoon. It gave him a mark on his forehead."  
  
Mikoto smiled. "I bet he wasn't to happy about that."  
  
Clover nodded with a grin. "He was fuming at me until the mark went away."  
  
"So who won the food fight?" Eiko asked, smirking wickedly.  
  
"I did. Knocking your enemy out of battle with a spoon sort of seals the deal."   
  
"We're off to Burmecia then, huh?" Zidane asked, turning abruptly serious.   
  
"Yeah. Only place that rains all the time," Eiko replied.   
  
"A land of eternal rain. . ." Clover murmured, leaning back against pillow and closing her eyes. "The weathermen would have a fit, thinking this came out of some kind of fantasy game. And who knows? Maybe it does."  
  
  
  
Clover's boots made ripples of water as she walked around Burmecia. Fighting another woman for a man. It was so ridiculous! It was insane. It was wrong. And it had to be done. Clover couldn't just have Kuja over to Esuna. Never! Why was Esuna doing this, anyway?   
  
"Let's go," Clover said, swinging her right arm in a wide arc above her head, drawing from it a rip of darkness. The void of no light shimmered and took form, becoming her rapier. Clover took it in her hand, and walked the stone steps to enter Burmecia.   



	9. Nine

  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
Dive  
  
  
  
"Welcome," Esuna's musical (and sickeningly smug) voice rang out clearly though the depths of the rain, "to Hell."  
  
"Funny," Garnet said in mock puzzlement, "I thought this place was called Burmecia."  
  
Eiko jabbed her in the ribs.  
  
"Esuna." Clover's voice spoke the name without hesitation, and more than a little confusion. "What do you want?" It was a rhetorical question.  
  
"What I want. . .is what you have. Give him to me."  
  
"He is not mine to give."  
  
"Oh?" Esuna said nastily, wondering when the time would be just right to strike Clover down, and take him from her. . .to be Esuna's own. She had longed for him, since the dawn of time. . .soon, she would not be able to bear it.   
  
"He is his own."  
  
"Yes, but he is yours as well. Perhaps, he is his own completely. But I don't think so. Back off!" she snapped as Eiko tried to sneak a Holy on Esuna.   
  
"Eiko," Clover said slowly. "Kuja, Garnet, Zidane, Mikoto. Please, leave. This is my fight."  
  
"Are you mad?" Kuja cried, rushing over to Clover and gripping her shoulders painfully.   
  
Clover closed her eyes. "Go," she whispered. "I will always love you."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?!" Kuja said angrily, his grip tightening.   
  
"Please," Clover all but whimpered. She knew what she had to do. The stars had told her, and one did not mess with fate, or fate would come back to bite one in the butt.  
  
Kuja lowered his eyes, feigning resign, and left, but he was close. Always so close. Clover turned to Esuna.   
  
"Let the games begin," she declared.   
  
Esuna launched herself at Clover, and she deftly dodged, sending Esuna past her. She silently blessed her speed, but Esuna wasted no time getting to the point. She gathered a ball of energy in her hands.   
  
"Do you enjoy dying, giving Kuja to me?" she cried happily, and launched the ball at clover, at the same time, in sync with the energy's growth, she cried, "Ultimate End!"  
  
"Clover!" was all she heard, until she thought she was hit, but wasn't completely. Kuja had taken most of it (Geez, I'm getting sappy) and it had rebounded back on Esuna. All three swam in their emotions, until darkness hit them. Esuna wondered what would become of her.  
  
  
  
She groaned. So did Kuja, and Esuna. They woke. . .in the middle of a park near Clover's house in Seattle.   
  
"Earth?!" Clover cried, her hands raised to her mouth.   
  
"Guess Ultimate End is a transportation spell," Kuja said slowly.   
  
Esuna let out a shriek and lunged for Kuja, Clover's rapier in her hand. He tried to dodge, but she was too fast. It slid cleanly through him, and his eyes widened. He was vaguely aware of Clover screaming his name and Esuna's lips locked on his, whispering against his mouth, "You're mine. . .I have you now. . ."  
  
He sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
Esuna easily took the rapier of darkness from Kuja's limp body, but Clover didn't see her. Her vision blurred, and a sorrow beyond eternity welled inside of her, overflowing her soul. She couldn't take it. She screamed, a wail that split the air like a banshee's wail could have, a sound of song in silence and a void so deep that nothing could fill the gap. Her engagement ring glowed with a fiery power of her despair, and her eyes dulled. She stone seemed to grow, and Clover had a new magic within her. She suddenly didn't care what happened, as long as she died with him. And the only way to do that. . .she began to sing, with the new and strange euphoria that elated her at the thought of dying with him.  
  
(Lyrics from The Dream Within, from the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Soundtrack)  
  
"Be. . . the dream within  
  
  
The stars are crying  
  
  
A tear. . . A sigh  
  
  
Escapes from heaven. . .  
  
  
  
  
  
  
. . .And world's end."  
  
  
  
She didn't know what kind of power filled her, only that she was dying. And, from far away, on Gaia, Zidane, Garnet, Eiko, and Mikoto, the only family that either Clover or Kuja had, watched in pain and utter agony as a distant planet, far off in space, exploded.   
  
  
  
The super nova lasted longer than anyone could have imagined. It would never go away for eons to come. And awash with light, illuminated within that light, were two spheres of light, ever drifting to a planet of rebirth, so that maybe they could be together again.  
  
Maybe. . .  
  
One distant day. . . 


	10. Finale

  
  
  
Chapter Ten  
One Distant Day  
  
  
  
Zidane regretfully drew his lips away from Garnet's, looking at the nova in the sky. He gave a small smile.   
  
"It isn't fair," Garnet whispered.  
  
"Yeah," Zidane replied, "I miss them. Kuja. . .he had changed so much."  
  
"Yes. Come on, walk with me."  
  
And so, they walked the riverbank, and suddenly Garnet gasped, and pointed.   
  
"Zidane, look!"  
  
Across the river, attempting to catch a fish with his bare hands and flopping around in the water, the small fishes mercilessly getting the better of him, a young boy with silver hair tried vainly to grab himself some dinner.  
  
  
  
  
"Ohhh, can't you have a little compassion?!" Eiko demanded of Amarant Coral as they walked.   
  
"Kuja was an ass. He deserved it, Eiko."   
  
"Aaaargh!" Eiko cried, slapping his shoulder. . .hard. At thirteen, the young summoner had grown fairly strong. "HE DID NOT!"  
  
"If you say so," Amarant said. "I still think he -- Yaaaah!"   
  
Eiko turned as Amarant cried out, watching a small object fly into him. The small girl that had run into him flopped onto the ground, shaking her head. She was no older than four.   
  
"I sowwy," she stammered. Eiko stared at her honey gold and red sunset locks. "But I gotta huwwy! Mumma's gonna kill me! I'm sooo late!"   
  
The girl stood up, and with a rush of hard beating legs, was gone faster than lightning.   
  
  
  
Mikoto gazed slowly into space, and her eyes wandered to the nebula of Earth. I wonder, she thought slowly, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she swooned, nearly passing out.  
  
The two lights had left the area of the nebula.  
  
And the nebula itself was gone.  
  
  
~*The End, The Beginning, and the Never ending*~  
  
  
Hidden Wishes Unfulfilled 'Til tomorrow night we'll stay  
Until the dreams come true Then you'll kiss my fears away   
Grant my dreams Come first light, we'll leave this town  
O Lonely King To enter a world where dreams aren't drowned   
And let me be with you. Our friends are there, just wait and see.   
They'll let you be with me. 


End file.
